This old fashioned hummingbird cake is a dense, sweet treat that features a delicious pineapple flavor, generously frosted with a creamy cream cheese icing and topped with the satisfying crunch of pecans. Unlike other recipes, this one is made in a 13×9 baking pan making it much easier to create this classic dessert that’s tasty and impressive!
This moist and rich hummingbird cake packs a punch with its old-fashioned, time-tested recipe. The blend of pineapple, bananas, and pecans gives it an incredible flavor and texture, and the cream cheese frosting adds a touch of creaminess to every bite.
If you’re a fan of this hummingbird cake, you’ll also love my applesauce cake, a dense and flavorful treat that’s a true classic. For something a bit fruity, try my pineapple upside-down cake, which also contains pineapple like this recipe. And for a twist, my blueberry coffee cake is another dense, fruit-based cake that’s guaranteed to please.
This recipe was found in the Brentwood home cookbook. The home was built in 1912 and is a collection of old fashioned recipes special to those in the area. We stayed in the home during one of our road trips and re-creating this cake brought bake many wonderful memories.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Made in a 13×9 Baking Pan: This recipe sticks to the traditional ingredients, but because it’s made in a 13×9 baking pan it is much easier to create than the traditional three-layer cakes.
- Generously Frosted: The cream cheese frosting is not just an afterthought. It’s generously applied, giving each bite a perfect balance of cake and creamy frosting.
- Modern Take: You’ll get the same great taste of old-fashioned hummingbird cake in a 9×13 pan, unlike traditional versions.
- Flavor-Rich: Every bite of this cake is packed with flavor, thanks to the combination of pineapple, bananas, and pecans.
- Time-Tested: This recipe is a classic that has stood the test of time. It’s been a favorite for generations and continues to be a hit at any gathering.
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Key Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: This is the main dry ingredient that forms the structure of the cake, giving it a soft and fluffy texture.
- Sugar: Besides adding sweetness, sugar also helps to brown the cake and make it moist.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients, making the cake more savory.
- Baking soda: This leaven is what makes the cake rise and become fluffy.
- Ground cinnamon: It adds a warm, sweet flavor to the cake that compliments the pineapple and banana.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binder, holding all the ingredients together and also add moisture to the cake.
- Vegetable oil: This is the fat in the recipe, it makes the cake moist and adds a subtle flavor.
- Vanilla extract: It enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and adds a sweet aroma.
- Crushed pineapple: This gives the cake a sweet, tangy flavor and a moist texture. I like to use the no sugar added crushed pineapple in juice.
- Pecans: They add a satisfying crunch and a nutty flavor to the cake.
- Bananas: They add a sweet flavor and a dense, moist texture to the cake.
- Cream cheese: This is the main ingredient for the frosting, it gives it a creamy, tangy flavor and a smooth texture.
- Butter: It adds a rich, buttery flavor to the frosting.
- Powder sugar: It sweetens the frosting and gives it a light, fluffy texture.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer – You’ll need this to combine the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar for the creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting.
- 13×9 baking pan – This is where you’ll bake the cake. Make sure to grease it well to prevent the cake from sticking.
How to Make Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake
Preparation
Begin by preheating your oven to 350˚ F. Grease a 13×9 baking pan with butter or cooking spray. This helps make sure that your cake does not stick to the pan after baking.
Step 1 – Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. These ingredients will give your cake its sweet and spicy flavor.
Step 2 – Add the Wet Ingredients
Next, add the eggs and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until moistened, but do not overmix. This will guarantee that your cake is light and fluffy.
Step 3 – Add the Flavors
Stir in the vanilla extract, undrained pineapple, pecans, and bananas. These ingredients will give your cake its unique hummingbird flavor. Spoon the mixture into your greased baking pan.
Step 4 – Bake the Cake
Place your baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once baked, let the cake cool completely.
Step 5 – Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 6 – Frost the Cake
Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled hummingbird cake. Top with chopped pecans for an extra crunch. Your old-fashioned hummingbird cake is now ready to serve.
Expert Tips
For the best results when making your old fashioned hummingbird cake, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting onto the cooled cake. An offset spatula makes it easier to spread the cream cheese frosting evenly and will give your cake a polished and professional look.
Variations
- Cupcake: If you prefer individual servings, you can easily transform this old fashioned hummingbird cake into cupcakes. Just pour the batter into the cupcake liners, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Layer Cake: For a more traditional presentation, bake the batter in three 9-inch cake pans. The layers will cook in just 25-30 minutes. If making into layers, you will need to double the cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure you have enough to cover the entire cake.
- Bundt Pan: Make your presentation more fun by baking the batter in a Bundt or tube pan for 1 hour. Just remember to let the pan cool for 10 minutes after baking before removing the cake from the pan. You’ll love this hummingbird bundt cake.
What to Serve With
- For a relaxed weekend breakfast, pair with a steaming cup of coffee. The sweetness of the cake is the perfect way to start your day on a positive note.
- If you’re hosting a brunch, serve this cake with various teas. The subtle flavors of the teas will complement the rich and creamy cream cheese frosting on the cake.
- Enjoy a slice of this cake with a glass of iced tea for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. The refreshing iced tea is a great balance to the sweetness of the cake.
- This cake can also be served as a dessert after a hearty meal. Pair it with a strong, black coffee to end the meal on a high note.
Recipe FAQs
The Hummingbird Cake is a classic southern recipe that originated in Jamaica. It was first published in the United States in 1978 by Southern Living magazine and has since become a popular dessert, especially in the southern states.
The Southern cake was originally created in Jamaica and was called “doctor bird cake” in honor of the country’s national bird, the red-billed streamertail. By the mid-1970s, this cake had made its way to the United States, where it took on the nickname hummingbird cake. This is a fitting name for a cake that is sweet enough to attract hummingbirds.
If you have a nut allergy, you can easily substitute the pecans in this recipe with an equal amount of walnuts or almonds. If you prefer, you can also omit the nuts altogether without compromising the overall flavor of the cake.
For the best flavor and texture, the bananas should be ripe but not overly mushy. Look for bananas that are yellow with a few brown spots. These bananas will be sweet and moist, which is perfect for this hummingbird cake recipe.
Yes, you can use fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple. Just make sure to chop it into small pieces and use the same amount as the recipe calls for. Fresh pineapple may add a slightly different texture and flavor to the cake, but it will still be delicious.
Storing and Reheating
- Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Refrigeration is needed because of the cream cheese icing.
- Freeze: You can easily freeze the cake, but without the cream cheese frosting as it tends to become watery, and the texture of the cake changes once it’s thawed. You can freeze an unfrosted cake for up to 2 months by covering it with plastic wrap or placing it in a freezer-safe container.
- To Thaw: Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving it.
- Reheat: This cake is best served at room temperature or chilled from the refrigerator. I do not recommend reheating it.
More Old Fashioned Cake Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This old-fashioned hummingbird cake recipe yields a deliciously moist cake that’s enough to serve 12-15 slices of cake.
- How to Scale: If you’re planning to serve a larger crowd or want to have extra leftovers, you can easily double the recipe. Just make sure that you have a large enough mixing bowl to combine the ingredients, and consider baking in multiple pans. Follow the rest of the instructions as directed.
Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 ½ Cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 oz crushed pineapple undrained
- 1 Cup pecans chopped
- 2 Cups bananas chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ Cup butter softened
- 4 Cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nut Topping
- 1 Cup pecans chopped
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Grease a 13×9 baking pan.
- Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the beaten eggs and vegetable oil and stir until moistened. Do not beat.
- Stir the vanilla, un-drained pineapple, nuts, and bananas into the sugar mixture. Spoon into a 13×9 baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Frosting Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on high until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Spread over the cooled hummingbird cake. Top with chopped pecans.
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